St John's Cemetery, Parramatta, and St Philip Churchyard burials NSW

[mwkelly]

Hello I would like to confirm details of burials for the following ancestors of mine

1) Solomon Bockerah buried 16 Jun 1791 St Philip Church, Lane Cove aged 31

2) his wife Ann Sarah Bockerah or Atkins buried 21 Feb 1793 St John's, Parramatta

3) there daughter Sarah Laurie/Lawrie died 6 Aug 1833 *Not sure what cemetery

Thank you for your help
Kind regards
Murray Kelly

[Neil Todd]

Hi Murray. I think you may have trouble finding an index for burials so early in NSW history.
One, I seriously doubt that there was a St Philip's Church at Lane Cove in 1791. I think the earliest permanent church was in Sydney City and wasn't built until 1802. Most of the services up to then were in temporary structures and they may not have had a ground for interment attached. These were at various loctions to the west of the main city area IE: Redfern, I believe there was another at the western End of York St towards Market Street and may have handled burials from St Philips (the earliest Church) when it was even a temporary church.. As for his wife Ann Sarah, same problem there was not a church there "Parramatta" until C1803. When the First St Johns was built. As there was not really a church records of burials are scant at best and a lot of these have not been digitised for online viewing.

Other problem is, were they Jewish, if so it would be extremely unlikely that were buried in any consecrated Christian Burial ground. Such were the times! Many eary burial grounds are now being discovered as newer developments replace old and efforts are made to rebury were possible.
MODIFIED Searching for people is also difficult as most of the online resources only go by those with a headstone or Marker, none are available for Sarah Laurie that I can see.

Neil

[majm]

Hi there,

Here's a link to info re St John's Cemetery at Parramatta.  It has burials dating from 1790, and not just C of E burials, but all denominations.

http://www.discoverparramatta.com/places/heritage_and_historic_sites/st._johns_cemetery

Cheers,  JM

[majm]

Hi there,

Perhaps you will consider ordering an Official Transcription of an Early Church Record
NSW BDM online index has TWO entries, (most likely for the one burial, one record being a transmittal record of the other):
Solomon BOCKROW  Vol 2A, line 1297, year: 1791
Solomon BOCKRON, Vol 4, line 321, year: 1791

http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/howToTraceYouFamTree.htm 

ADDING:

Just checked online NSW BDM ECR'S Burial records : Vol 2A, line 965, 1793 and Vol 148, line 431, in 1793 refers to Ann BOCKERAH.

And also

Sarah LAURIE's burial is Vol 17, line 516 in 1833.  Sarah was noted as aged 42.
 

Cheers,  JM

[martywillis]

Hi all,

Here is the net site for inscriptions St John's Cemetery, Parramatta, NSW

http://austcemindex.com/cemetery.php?id=789.

The 2nd partner of my 4th ggm is buried here but has no headstone & we think she is also buried here & alas, no headstone for her either!

Cheers,
MW

[majm]

Hello I would like to confirm details of burials for the following ancestors of mine

1) Solomon Bockerah buried 16 Jun 1791 St Philip Church, Lane Cove aged 31

2) his wife Ann Sarah Bockerah or Atkins buried 21 Feb 1793 St John's, Parramatta

3) there daughter Sarah Laurie/Lawrie died 6 Aug 1833 *Not sure what cemetery

Thank you for your help
Kind regards
Murray Kelly

Hi Murray,

As you are asking to CONFIRM burial details, I can assure you that the NSW BDM holds valid copies of the Early Church Records of Burials.  The details on those records are scant, but I have provided you with the relevant reference numbers from the NSW BDM online index.   You can then yet confirmation (date, location and name of the deceased person, but NOT details about parentage) from those certificates.  The Official Transcription Agents provide the exact same information as on NSW BDM certificates, but can send the info by email and are cheaper.

All the necessary reference numbers are in my reply # 4.

Cheers,  JM

[Neil Todd]

Are you saying that there was a St Philips at Lane Cove MAJM? I still doubt that one existed in 1791 at that location. Possibly a Ground for internment though? I believe that several were made for convicts working on that side of the Harbour!

Would the Church record have the burial location?

Neil

[~MERLIN~]

Ann Sarah BOCKERAH was buried 21 Feb 1793 St John's, Cemetery Parramatta. Her name is on the burial register I have.

Her grave & headstone still exist but it has transcription errors owing to the difficulty that the photographer had reading it.

You can view a photo of it here:

http://austcemindex.com/inscription.php?id=8629875

[majm]

No, Neil,  In fact, I don't know much about at all the North Shore BEFORE AROUND 1800, so I cannot comment about the location in 1791.  The information on the Official Transcript should give the location.    The NSW Chaplain was Rev Richard Johnson.
 
http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/history_nation/religion/early/johnson.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Philip's_Church,_Sydney 


Other RChatters probably know far more than me about Lane Cove at that time.   It could even be that the document reads "Long Cove" rather than Lane Cove.   

Cheers,  JM